Improvement in steering apparatus



F. GO-ULD.

Y STEERING APPARATUS. No.177,4935. Patented May 30,1876.

W l TN ES 5 ES Y A g. WAM 3m@ GALA L 0@ WENN @H INVENTOR N- PETEES, PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON, D t:A

UNITEn STATES- PATENTT Fror.,

FAYETTE GOULD, OF HUNTINGTON, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN` STEERING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent` No. 177,935, dated May 30, 1876; application filed May 11, 1876.

Tof all whomit may concern:V

. Beit known that LFAYETTE GoULD, of Huntington, Suffolk county, N ew York, have invented, rnadeand` applied to use Improvements in the Constructioniof Steering Apparatus for Vessels; and that the following is a full, clear, and' correct description of my invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawing,-making par-t of this specificationand to the letters ofV reference.. marked thereon, in Which,-

Figure 1 isatop'view of .my improved steering apparatus. Fig. 2 is a front view ofn the same. Fig. Sis a sectional, view of Fig. lat the line at w. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of Fig, 1 at the line y y. Fig. 5 is anl enlargedview ofa portion-of the intermediate wheel. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view` of the clutch.` I

In-the drawingV like parts Aof the invention are designated.- by the` same letters of reference.

The nature ofthe presentinvention consists in improvements, as more fully hereinafter set forth, in the construction of steeringapparatus for vessels, the object of the invention being the production of steering: apparatus for vessels, by which the steering of the vessel is facilitated, and by the employment of which advalntages, more fully hereinafter described, resu t.

To enable thoseskilled in the artspto make and use my invention, I Will describe its construction and operation. y

A shows a frame supported by the legs or posts B, properly secured upon the deck of the vessel directly in the vicinity of the rudder-post C for supporting the operative parts of my apparatus. C shows the rudder-post., to which is attached the tiller D. This rudder-post C is slotted, as at c, above the point at which the tiller D is attached to it, and its upper portion is received within a cap-piece, E, and is free to rise and fall within the same, a bolt passed through this cap-piece E, and having its bearing in the slotted portion of the rudder-post G, retaining it in position within the cap-piece E, and yet allowing it to rise and fall to the extent of the slot in it. E shows a circular cap-piece attached to the lower end of a spindle, F, within which cappiece E the upper end of the rudder-post C is received. The upper end of the spindle vF is passed through the center of the frame A, and after having been passed through the same a disk of metal, G, is secured upon it, and has its bearing upon the interior of the geared Wheel H, and thus keeps the spindle F in position. H shows a geared wheel, secured about centrally upon the spindle F. VThe teeth are out upon the upper side of the rim of this wheelH, and project upward, so that the Wheel forms virtually a circular rack. Upon the spindle F directly beneath the frame A is positioned an intermediate gear-wheel, I, engaging with the gear-wheel J and J2; and upon the spindleF directly above the cappieceEis positioned a second intermediate gear-Wheel, K, engaging, when so desired, with the gear-Wheels L and L2. The gearwheels. J and L are secured upon a spindle,

M, one-end of Which has its bearing in the frame,A,rand the gear-wheel J2 and L2 are secured upon a spindle, M2, one end of Which also bears in the frame A. The lower or opposite ends of the spindles M and M2 are passed through a girt, N, and over their lower ends are passed nuts n, to hold them in position. The girt N is provided with an opening sufciently large to allow the intermediate gearwheel K to be thrown into gear With the gearwheels L and L2, when desired. Upon the spindle F, directly above the intermediate wheel K, is secured a collar, O, and upon the under side of this collar the forked ends of the lever P have their bearing. Upon the frame A at its forward and rear ends are secured the standards Q, supporting boxes R, in which are received the rider S.

Upon the rear end of this rider S is the pinion T, engaging with the circular rack H, and upon its forward end is secured the hand-wheel U, by which the apparatus is manipulated. Swiveled to the forward standard Q is a lever, having a portion of its surface cut away, so that a hook, fu, is formed upon the4 same, which hook has its bearing upon the forward end of the forked lever P, for the purposes fully described hereinafter.

My steering apparatus being thus constructed, and the rudder having been attached to the rudder-post C, the operation may be thus set forth: By turning the Wheel U secured upon damaged or destroyed lessened.

one end of the rider S', upon the opposite end of which is. secured the pinion T, engaging with the circular rack H, the circular rack H, secured upon the spindle `F, is caused to revolve, and, as the same'is revolved, the cappiece E, in which is received the rudder-post G, is revolved with it, and the rudder is thus turned in any desired direction or position relative to the vessel. The intermediate wheel I, positioned upon the spindle F, engages with the gear-wheels J and J2, thus governing the extent of revolution the spindle I shall make, and giving the operator control over the rudder through the rudder-post and spindle.

I will now proceed to describe the particular use ofthe intermediate wheel K. In case ot'a storm at sea, or should the vessel be eX- posed to a heavy sea, in order that the rudder may be, under such circumstances, easily managed by the party steering, the lever P, the forked ends of which have their bearing upon the under side of the collar O, has

' its rear end depressed, by which the intermediate wheel K is raised and brought into gear with the gear-wheels L and L2, and, having been so brought into gear, is secured into position by bringing the hook o of the lever V to bear upon the lever P, and hold the same stationary. Thus an auxiliary means of managing the rudder, or of retaining the same in any desired position, is provided for 5 and this I deem the important feature of my present invention. In addition, the rudder-post C is free to rise and fall within theV cap-piece E, and thus provision is made for the rise and fall of the rudder, which Will prove advantageous should it be necessary to run the vessel ashore, or should she be grounded, in which case the rudder would rise, and the chance of its being If desired, the intermediate wheel I upon the spindle F may be so constructed that it may be used as an auxiliary wheel instead of the wheel K, and may be depressed by means of a clutch, as in the case of the wheel K, in which case the Wheel Kwould be held in gear with the wheels L and L2 by means of the girt M, the opening being made smaller, so as to form a bearing, on which it would be supported, the spindle F being secured to the circular wheel H, and the wheel I, with the collar `O, made to slide upon the spindle F, so that it ,could be thrown in or out of gear with the wheels J and J2 by means of the lever P.

I am well aware that the use of multiple gearing in steering apparatus is not new withv A frame, A, properly positioned to support the steering mechanism, a rudder-post, C, proy vided with a tiller, D, a spindle, F, provided with a cap-piece, E, circular rack H, disk Gr, intermediate gear-wheel I, and intermediate gear-wheel K.

2. A rider, S, provided with a pinion, T, and hand-wheel U, the gear-wheels J J2 and L L2, held upon the spindles M M2, and the forked lever P and hooked lever V, when the same shall be constructed and operate substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

FAYETTE GOULD.

Witnesses:

J. B. PLAGE, IDHILIP PEARsALL. 

